Social Group

Clients: Three kindergarteners, one 2nd grader Location: Counselor’s RoomTime: 10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Date:

This lesson was created for a group of four students with goals relating to social and communication difficulties (undiagnosed and diagnosed, such as ASD and ADHD). Goals are targeted using Superflex®: A Superhero Social Thinking Curriculum (Madrigal & Winner, 2008). This curriculum offers a motivating way for students to develop further awareness of their own thinking and social behaviors. The aim is to provide the students with strategies to help them develop self-regulation of their own behaviors.

COMPONENT RATIONALE ACTIVITY/PROCEDURE/MATERIALS

IntroductionGreeting

A few minutes

Build rapport and overview the session

Introductions Students and clinician will share something positive from the day, and then go over the visual schedule for the session.

Direct Instruction

A few minutes

Introduce Glassman, the new “unthinkable”

GlassmanThe teachers will briefly overview Glassman, the new “unthinkable” that the students must learn to defeat. Glassman gets upset very quickly. The degree of the upset does not match the seriousness of the problem. Usually, he thinks things are not fair. What can you do to defeat Glassman? You can: Stop and think about the

problem Tell yourself to take a break

and walk away Ask for help Take a deep breath and calm

down

Prep SetWarm-Up

5-10 minutes

Direct instruction and hands-on practice with the concept of “size of the problem”

Data will be collected during this portion of the lesson

Size of the ProblemThe teachers will introduce “size of the problem.” Each student will pick a social scenario card. After the card is read to the group, the students will rate the problem on a scale from 1-5 (little, medium, or large problem). The students will then be asked how they should react to the problem. They will be reminded that their reactions should match the size of the problem. Teachers will model a couple of scenarios before the students try their own scenarios.

1 2 3 4 5

Instruction

Direct Instruction

10 minutes

Direct instruction on emotional outbursts using children’s literature

Glassman BookThe students will participate in a shared book reading activity. Superflex® Takes on Glassman and the Team of Unthinkables introduces Glassman and his huge upset reactions. Students will learn to calm Glassman and ways to assess the size of problems. Throughout the story, the clinician will point out Glassman’s behaviors to the students and strategies to defeat his unthinkable powers.

Direct Practice

5 minutes

Applying the Glassman concept to a social scenario

Video of Upset ReactionsStudents will be shown a short video clip from pbskids.org that displays a character getting upset. After the video, the students will be prompted to talk about what they observed. Which character had Glass Man in his/her brain? Why did that character get upset? Was that a little, medium, or large problem? What should the character have done instead of getting upset? A second video will be shown if there is time.

ClosureReview Glassman is the unthinkable that gets upset very quickly. Remember

to use your strategies if you feel yourself becoming upset.Foreshadow Briefly introduce the topic for the next session

Materials Glassman information sheet, visual for size of the problem, Glassman book. computer to show video